Thanks Mom! – R&B Men Give Tough Moms Credit

While their music is appreciated around the world for its admiration of women, life, and relationships, R&B artists including Trey Songz, Omarion, Ne-Yo, Sisqo and more say their moms are responsible for keeping them grounded. In fact, each has saluted the art of tough motherly love in recent years — even if mom issued an ultimatum !

Recent Grammy Award nominee Trey Songz loves his mom even though she almost sent him packing off to school instead of the recording studio:

“My mama told me if I ain’t get that deal in the first year (…) I had to go get a job or go to college or something,” Songz revealed after the release of his “Gotta Make It” debut.

Luckily for Songz his deal came through and three albums later Mom is right by his side, as pictured at the 2009 Grammy Awards.

Before the happy ending and chart-topping hits, Songz mom, while ensuring that her son remained focused, was there to issue support:

“My momma giving me a year was cool. She was still doing what she could for me. I didn’t have no job so she was still sending me money when she could.”

(Pictured: Trey Songz and his mother at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, February 8, 2009)

trey songz, mothers day, mom

While their music is appreciated around the world for its admiration of women, life, and relationships, R&B artists including Trey Songz, Omarion, Ne-Yo, Sisqo and more say their moms are responsible for keeping them grounded. In fact, each has saluted the art of tough motherly love in recent years — even if mom issued an ultimatum !

Recent Grammy Award nominee Trey Songz loves his mom even though she almost sent him packing off to school instead of the recording studio:

“My mama told me if I ain’t get that deal in the first year (…) I had to go get a job or go to college or something,” Songz revealed after the release of his “Gotta Make It” debut.

Luckily for Songz his deal came through and three albums later Mom is right by his side, as pictured at the 2009 Grammy Awards.

Before the happy ending and chart-topping hits, Songz mom, while ensuring that her son remained focused, was there to issue support:

“My momma giving me a year was cool. She was still doing what she could for me. I didn’t have no job so she was still sending me money when she could.”

(Pictured: Trey Songz and his mother at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, February 8, 2009)

omarion, mothers day, thank, mom

Like his crooning contemporaries R&B singer Omarion loves the ladies. For Omarion the decision to sing to them, after a failed rap attempt, was all mom’s idea:

“Truthfully I was really young when I started that rap group and my mom said something to me. She said to me, “Omari, you might want to sing”… and I said why ?… she said “because you know singers get all the women”.

Ever since his mom gave him that advice Omarion has been singing and dancing for the ladies in videos like “O,” “Touch,” “Entourage” and most recently on the Lil Wayne assisted “Comfort”.

Omarion admits “It stuck with me”.

(Pictured: Omarion, February 2009)

ne yo, mothers day, thanks, mom, miss independent

Ne-Yo won a Grammy Award for the hit single “Miss Independent” but, it was after all his mother who inspired the song that brought smiles to the strong and independent women out there. To Ne-Yo his mother is the strongest woman and thus he’s looking for a special lady just like her:

“She is the strongest woman on the face of the planet. I’ve seen her go through unimaginable obstacles and you would never know she had a bad day in her life.”

“That’s what Miss Independent is about — a woman that can achieve anything, despite whatever.”

(Pictured: Ne-Yo and his mom celebrate his 25th birthday, October 2007)

j holiday, mothers day, thanks, mom

After storming the charts with the single “Bed” a few years back, R&B singer J. Holiday remains humbled, grounded and most of all true to positive music. But it was the Washington D.C. area native’s preaching mother that gave him advice that flows through his career today.

“I’ve gone through issues with people saying who I should be. My mom said don’t let anyone change you… be yourself,” Holiday shared with Singersroom.

“I’mma always be me. I’mma show people who I really am.”

(Pictured: J. Holiday, February 2009)

mario, mothers day, thanks, mom

While Baltimore bred R&B singer/actor Mario documented his somewhat turbulent past with his mom on the MTV special “I Won’t Love You to Death: The Story of Mario and His Mom,” he admits their relationship has grown stronger over the years. In fact, today Mario says that she is not only a mom but a friend and counselor:

“Together we definitely believe in each other and appreciate each other for so many different reasons as more than just a mother-son but as a friend, as a counselor… as someone to just talk to,” Mario shared shortly after his stint on ‘Dancing With the Stars’.

(Pictured: Mario and mom at the 2005 Grammy Awards)

sisqo, mothers day, thanks, mom

We’re not sure what Sisqo’s mom has to say about the “Thong Song” that took her son to MTV’s spring break but, it is clear that Sisqo loves her — especially since she went to bat for him as a teenager.

Admitting that his electrician father was opposed to a singing career and told him to get a real job in TIME magazine, Sisqo says his mom came to the rescue after he followed his dad’s advice and got several jobs including a gig at Baltimore pizza and entertainment venue “The Fudgery”.

“My mom told me ‘follow your heart baby’. I didn’t specifically want to be a singer. I just knew I wanted to be in the spotlight and I was determined to keep going until I reached my goal.”

Thanks to mom’s advice and dad’s tough love Sisqo ended up in Dru Hill and as they say the rest is history..

(Pictured: Sisqo at the 2008 CMT Awards)

usher, mothers day, thanks, mom

Before the Diamond-selling album “Confessions” was even thought of, R&B crooner Usher was an 13 year old kid with a record deal. Not only was he singing “Call Me A Mack” but, the eventually dubbed “Mr. Entertainment” superstar was shaking hands with moguls L.A. Reid, Sean Diddy Combs and Babyface. With that in mind Usher admits his mother/manager Jonetta Patton was right there to keep him in check:

“It was every kid’s dream but my mother and grandmother did a really good job of helping me stay grounded,” Usher shared in 2007.

“I always had my mother to help gauge the balance and make sure I got my schooling. (at that time) I had a goal in mind to be the best and make my name mean something”

We’re sure mom and grandma are smiling down on Usher’s success.

… There you have it, R&B men real about their moms and the imprint they left on their lives before any of us could sing along to songs like “U Got It Bad,” “Gotta Make It,” and well even “The Thong Song”…